An American Red Cross Blood Drive sponsored by the Department of Military Science will be held Wednesday and Thursday, September 28 and 29, from noon to 7 p.m. in the Murphy Room.

Blood Donors are urgently needed! The American Red Cross informed the department on September 16 that a critical blood shortage exists in northern Ohio. “Seven or the eight blood types currently stand at less than a one-day inventory level. In addition, types O positive and O negative are being released to hospitals on a ‘transfuse only’ basis. To quantify the demand in specific terms, there are 57 local hospitals here in northern Ohio that consume, on average, more than 12,000 individual blood products each week.” The NE Ohio regional ARC CEO stated, “I have never seen our inventory so low!”

You may be a walk-in donor or may make reservations online at the Red Cross’s website. Enter the sponsor code “JCU” and follow the instructions.

Blood donors must weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health. Bring a photo ID showing your date of birth, or your American Red Cross donor card.

Before donating, have a good breakfast or lunch and drink extra water and fluids. Avoid caffeine, eat iron rich foods; avoid fatty foods – tests for infections done on all donated blood can be affected by fatty materials (lipids) that appear in your blood for several hours after eating fatty foods, and the blood may need to be discarded.

After donating, have a snack and drink in the refreshments area immediately. Rehydrate by drinking plenty of fluids over the next 24-48 hours. Avoid strenuous physical activity or heavy lifting for about five hours after donation.

Donors coming to the blood drive will receive a coupon for a free Chipotle burrito. Thank you in advance for committing yourself to the life-enhancing mission of the American Red Cross.